'Thank you to my employers, the Eldons'

 By Jeanie Carambas

(Last June 15, Philippine Alliance Hong Kong celebrated the 127th anniversary of Philippine Independence by having a party and honoring long-serving migrant workers and their employers through 'Gawad Parangal 2025.' Among those who received special awards  were Mr and Ms Lawrence Webb and their employee of 36 years, Blandy Menchie Guillermo; Phyllis McKenna and employee of 30 years, Vilma Gonzales; Ho Pui Ching Michelle and employee for 20 years Lory P. Pama; and Andrew and Aimee Eldon and their employee for 16 years, Jeanie Castillo Carambas. Among the worker-awardees, Jeanie spoke most eloquently of how it was like working for a couple that treats her like family, and how she responds to this by being appreciative, working well and trying to remain positive even when she is tired or feeling low - Ed). 

Jeanie gets a tight hug from employer Aimee Eldon while her husband happily Andrew looks on

First of all, thank you for this opportunity to thank my employers because I have always felt that I never thank them enough. I didn't tell them about this because I knew they would just say, “Oh Jeanie, we are just here to support you.”

I started working for the Eldons in 2009. I had three interview appointments that day and they were my second. The first offer was tempting as the employer in Stanley offered a salary that was much more than the minimum.

But during my interview with Aimee she did not ask me questions that I was expecting, like, whether I could cook Western food, or do specific chores. Instead she asked how my family was, and whether it was okay to work far from them. That touched me deeply because I was then upset because I could not attend my eldest son’s graduation. My previous employer decided to pay seven days of my annual leave despite me asking if I could fly even the night before graduation.

Aimee asked me what she could do so I can go home for the event, and I said she could probably write a letter to Immigration. She did this readily, which I truly appreciated even if Immigration did not grant the request because of the date of my release letter from my previous employer.

Basahin ang detalye!

They treated me as family from the very start. Other helpers would often ask, “Is that your boss? You talk to her like that? You talk like you're just friends.” This is probably the reason I have stayed with them until this time. They are very supportive in everything I do.

Aimee raised her daughters with this house rule: “When we are out, Jeanie is the adult here. She is in charge.” Then Aimee would tell me, “If they ask for something, don't give it to them if they didn't say please and thank you.”

We have this no-mixed messages rule in their household. You can't imagine how polite, sweet, loving and caring our girls (my employers want me to treat their daughters as it they were mine) are to me.

One summer, Aimee's mum asked me how many years have I not spent Christmas with my family. I said over five years. She was so upset. "Go home this Christmas. You have to be with your family." After over a year working for them, five years of working here in Hong Kong, I spent Christmas with my family for the first time in 2010.

The whole family came to my ALSE (Ateneo Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship program) graduation, then took my bags so I could celebrate with my friends. I don't know how many employers would do that.

When we moved to Clearwater Bay, Aimee would tell me, after doing dinner, “Go out and talk with your friends. We are big enough to feed ourselves.” But I would reply that even if I could go out my friends were all busy in the kitchen.

But that was before we had a dog. Now I take the dog out while Aimee does their dinner.

You might find this funny, but they’re the type of employers who wake up earlier than their helper. When I wake up in the morning, the lunch boxes are ready. I would just do the girls' water bottles and steam some broccoli for Andrew if he needs his lunch. But sometimes, Aimee does everything and I would just do the girls' water bottles.

In 2016 when they went away for Christmas they asked me, instead of going home, would I want my children to come to Hong Kong? I immediately said yes, as that would be a dream come true for me.

What I did not expect was their remark when I said thank you. They said they were happy to do it for me because the last time I came back from home, I looked so miserable. I was going through a family problem that time that led to me becoming a solo parent.

They always know what happens in my life because I tell them. Not because I want sympathy but just a heads-up in case the situation would affect my job. That happened a few times, and I am thankful that I never heard them complain. Instead, they would comfort me.

To make the story short, all my four children came to Hong Kong, their return tickets paid by my employers. My children stayed in comfort because we had the whole house to ourselves. That was my best Christmas ever! More such visits followed, when my employers would give extra money for our expenses.

I told them I love to have my children come over because I can have all their time unlike when we are in the Philippines, where they have friends. Here, they don't know where to go so they always have to take their mother with them. The couple laughed at this.

Jeanie with employers Andrew and Aimee get their awards from Vice Consul Alan Revote

I celebrated my 50^th birthday during the pandemic. I wanted to spend it with my family in the Philippines but I couldn’t because of the strict travel restrictions. But this resulted in something good because my employers paid for all the days that I was stuck at their home. I used that to start building a small house for me and my children.

Days before my birthday, Andrew asked me how much more I needed to finish the house. I didn't know the answer but after calculations gave him a random amount. I did not expect that he would give the exact amount I mentioned as present for my birthday.

Aimee was so thoughtful she surprised me with a birthday cake that time. She turned on the aircon in the study the whole night so she could hide it there, and surprise me.

I told them afterwards that as long as our house is standing, it will always remind me of that time.  I was so emotional. I have good memories of the pandemic because of them.

They support even my goal of traveling abroad on my own even if that means them doing the household chores while I'm having my holiday.

When I tried to visit Italy my visa application was denied because I was not traveling with my employers. To make me feel better they gave me back all the money I spent for the visa application. They were as upset as I was that I wasn't able to go.

I finally succeeded in getting a visa to travel alone to Japan, and they gave me all the support I needed. They told me I deserved it and that they were happy for me. They were so proud of me when I made it to Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka on my own. When I sent them photos they asked what else they could do to help. I know not many helpers are blessed with such employers.

When I told them that I would attend the Kalayaan Ball because I was going to be awarded for working for them for over 16 years, they became emotional, and said I deserved it. I knew why they reacted that way, it was because it meant I was away from my family for that long.

While I was choosing to buy a Filipiniana outfit online, Aimee said, "Find a nice dress. I will pay for it." She was so excited. When I asked if they could come with me, they said yes immediately.

After the event Aimee kept asking me for the cost of the dress I bought online, but I did not want to tell her. For me, $499 for a dress was a bit expensive. I told her to just pay for the bolero top which was cheaper but she insisted on paying for the dress.

When I checked my phone, I saw that Aimee had transferred to my bank account the exact amount I paid for the dress. She joked, “I told you that if you won’t tell me the price, then I would go and find it out myself.”

Jeanie in the dress Aimee insisted on paying for

I can probably write a book about the many good things that my employers have done for me for more than 16 years now, but it will not be complete without my side of the story, and why we have maintained respect and good relationships in the house.

I am a helper who doesn't complain about work. You might not believe me, but I have my reason. I have to look after myself above all. I don't like stress. I need to be healthy to do this job. And for me, complaining doesn't make things better or easier. It would just make things more difficult yet, I don't have a choice but to do the job. I don't want to go to bed and end my day with a heavy heart and troubled mind.

You might say I am lucky to have employers like them but they also say, they are lucky to have me. Perhaps it is a joint effort, as we try to maintain a harmonious workplace. On my part, I can say that my performance since I started working for them has not changed much. It has probably even improved, unlike others who have slackened after working for years for their employers.

I want to keep the respect that we had from the start. They treat me family, but for me, I know I am still their helper. I do the job that I am paid to do, and it paid off. The more I give, the more I get.

My boss indirectly taught me to walk the extra mile. He used to go to work on Saturdays without pay even if he was the Head or COO. I took that as an example. If my boss can do that, why can't I? At times I would work during my holidays even if they tell me not to. I just try to help, especially during their super busy days. They would try to stop me but I tell them, I have a holiday, you don't. I want to give them back the kindness and favor that they give me and my family. They appreciate that.

I have this little trick when I get annoyed or overwhelmed. I am not a superwoman, after all. I get tired too. I have to find ways to comfort myself and make my day better. I tell myself while tidying up, “They pay you one hundred dollars to do this. In the Philippines, if someone pays you 100 pesos to do the same job you would do it in an instant." That makes me smile. Then my work becomes easier.

But I am not also a helper who tries to impress employers by working nonstop when they are around. I get some rest when I need to. It’s part of looking after my health. I also try to be upbeat all the time, and not complain.

When they got a dog, I never said anything. They never said anything. It was an additional job and I was not happy at first. But instead of being unhappy, I tried to find ways to enjoy looking after the dog. I didn't want to wake up not wanting to see the dog. I thought to myself, why not go to the beach with the dog and swim together? Now, I love all the time I am out with the dog. We go swimming. We go hiking. I never complained about the added responsibility because I can see that the dog gives them a lot of happiness, so I try to be happy for them, too.

So now, I see my time with the dog as an opportunity to get some exercise, which is good for me. And again, all that paid off come Christmas time. They gave me extra pay since we had the dog, then doubled that amount on top of my bonus.

Honestly, I asked myself that time, if getting a dog was their way of testing if I would complain. But I have always believed in good karma, and of not asking for favors unless I really need to.

Thank you for choosing me and my employers. I think this is a very good initiative to inspire not just helpers but also employers like them. I found a home away from home. I found a second family here in Hong Kong, and employers who support me to be empowered.

(I saw how my boss got emotional while I was saying all these things. Aimee told me, she was on the phone with her mum all the way home and her mum was crying. I thank God that I listened to my heart. Theirs was the lowest salary offer that time, 16 years ago, but I chose them. It was because Aimee was the only one who showed concern for my family and that meant a lot. Money is not everything. Because of them I have never missed an important family event again).

 

 

 

DH gets 10-month jail for $1.1M money laundering

 

File photo from HK Monetary Authority

A domestic helper was jailed today for 10 months and two weeks after she was found guilty of dealing with $1.1 million in crime proceeds, otherwise known as money laundering.

Ma. Gretel Mago, 48 years old, had earlier pleaded not guilty at Fanling Court, saying she had no part in depositing and withdrawing a total of $1,125,603.96 in her Hang Seng Bank account between 2^nd and 27^th of July 2021.

But Deputy Magistrate Chan On-ting gave more weight to the prosecution evidence, such as the bank account which was in her name.

Basahin ang detalye!

She ruled that Mago violated sections 25(1) and 25(3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

In a separate case at Tuen Mun Court, another domestic helper was remanded in jail after her case was adjourned to July 29.

Reamae Davila, 40 years old, is accused of money laundering for the $934,596.60 that went in and oit f her Bank of China account between 13^th and 28 of May 2024.

Pinay jailed 15 months for illegal work

 

Building where offense took place (Google Maps photo)

The government underlined the severity of illegal work today when the Eastern Magistrates’ Court sentenced a Filipina to 15 months imprisonment after she pleaded guilty to working as a trash cleaner.

Jonites Garcia, 48 years old, was arrested last May 28 while hauling garbage inside a rear staircase of Block 9 in City Garden in North Point.

It turned out she was holding a recognizance form as identification document, being subject to a removal order due to the failure of her application for asylum.

Basahin ang detalye!

Under sections 38AA (1)(b2) and 38AA (2) of the Immigration Ordinance, people with removal order are prohibited from taking up employment, whether paid or unpaid. But many are able to remain in Hong Kong because of a legal challenge they filed against the Immigration Director's decision to deny them refuge.

Violators face a fine of up to level 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment of up to three years.

Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung gave Garcia a one-third discount on her sentence for pleading guilty and thus saving the court’s time and resources in resolving the case.

HK visa extension fee to rise to $330 from Sept 8

Immigration Department

The Immigration Department plans to increase on Sept. 8 the fees it charges for its services to recover the costs incurred in providing them.

The list of 28 fees to be increased include that for issuing and extending visas, which will rise from $230 to $330.

A bill that proposes the fee revisions will be tabled at the Legislative Council for negative vetting on July 2, and will take effect once approved. 

Basahin ang detalye!

“The Government sets and reviews various fees and charges according to the 'cost recovery' and 'user pays' principles, while fees charged by the Government should in general be set at levels adequate to recover the full cost of providing the goods or services," a government spokesman said.

“Taking into consideration that it is impractical to recover the full cost of all fees in one go, the fees of the services concerned will be increased by 3 per cent to 51 per cent with a view to achieving full cost recovery gradually. The fees will have little impact on the daily lives of most people and limited impact on general business activities," the spokesman added.

The proposed increases are expected to generate an additional $104 million in annual revenue oncwe they take effect in September.

According to documents submitted to the Legislative Council by the Security Bureau and Immigration Department on Monday, the proposed increases will affect 28 services, with two increasing by less than 10 %, six rising 10 to 20%, and the remaining 20 all going up by more than 20%.

The key changes include a 13-percent increase for a 48-page HKSAR passport, or from $460 to $520 for applicants 16 years old or older, and $230 to $260 for children below 16.

The 32-page HKSAR passport will cost $430 for applicants aged 16 or older, from the previous $370; and from $185 to $215 for those younger than 16.

The other fee adjustments will include a 20% rise in transit visas, which will cost $170 from $120, and multiple HKSAR re-entry permits jumping from $935 to $1,350.

The visa fee increase is likely to create concern among foreign domestic workers, especially those who are terminated but are pursuing claims and cases against their employers, a process that could last for days, if not months. 

It could also impact those who are trying to convince Immigration to let them stay and process a new employment contract after their previous one was prematurely terminated on unfair ground.

This means that they will have to worry not only about having a place to stay while they wait for the outcome of their cases or applications, but also about visa renewal fees and other expenses while they remain in Hong Kong.

Pinay DH’s drug trafficking case set to be moved to High Court

 

Place where drug trafficking allegedly took place (Google Maps photo)

The two drug trafficking charges against a Filipina, who had been left in jail after similar charges against her co-accused were withdrawn earlier, is set to be elevated to the Court of First Instance after details of the drugs allegedly seized from her were presented at Kowloon City Court yesterday, June 24.

Alisa Tandual, 29 years old, was charged with C. Padillo, 30 years old, who walked free on Tuesday (June 23) after two separate charges against her were dropped (read the full story here: https://www.sunwebhk.com/2025/06/pinay-dh-accused-of-drug-trafficking.html).

Magistrate Philip Chan transferred Tandual’s case to the Eastern Court for committal to the High Court on Aug. 4. He also had Tandual’s rights read to her, including her right to a private lawyer or one provided by the Legal Aid for her defense.

Basahin ang detalye!

Tandual was arrested with Padillo, a fellow domestic helper,  last Jan. 22 after two alleged instances of drug trafficking in rooms 1 and 3 of a lodging house in the first floor of 542 Canton Road, Yau Ma Tei.

Results of government laboratory tests of the dangerous drugs seized from Tandual resulted in an amended complaint presented by police to the court, listing the drugs in detail.

In all, she is charged with trafficking in nearly 2 kilos of various dangerous drugs including cocaine or ice (shabu).

In the first charge, Tandual is accused of trafficking in a plastic bag containing 1.08 grams of a solid containing .87 gram of cocaine, and another plastic bag containing 0.43 gram of cocaine, which were found in Room 1.

The second charge arose from the seizure of the following drugs from her in room 3:

• 1 plastic bag containing 973 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride (also known as ice or shabu).
• 1 plastic bag containing one plastic laddle and 431 grams of a crystalline solid containing 415 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride.
• 1 plastic bag containing 49.2 grams of a mixture containing 35.8 grams of heroin hydrochloride.
• 1 plastic bag containing 16-grams of a solid contining 108 grams of cocaine.
• 1 plastic bag containing 201 grams of a crystalline solid containing 196 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride.
• 1 plastic bag containing 200 grams of a crystalline solid containing 196 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride.
• 1 plastic bag containing 28.1 grams of a crystalline solid containing 26.9 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride

Drug trafficking cases are automatically elevated to the High Court, and are punished on indictment with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and fine of up to $5,000. 

123 people arrested in Immigration’s swoop on catering & renovation premises

 

Most of the arrests involved illegal workers in restaurants, along with their employers 

The Immigration Department has made one of its biggest crackdowns on illegal work, particularly in industries known to be prone to the illicit practice, arresting a total of 123 persons in nearly a month.

Of those arrested, 58 have been prosecuted for violating the Immigration Ordinance, with 46 of the being sentenced to prison terms ranging from 54 days to 22 months.

From May 19 to June 23, officers conducted raids at 815 targeted locations across various districts in Hong Kong, resulting in the arrest of 89 illegal workers, 31 employers and three aiders and abettors.

Basahin ang detalye!

About 2/3 of the illegal workers arrested, or a total of 60 persons, were working in restaurants as dishwashers, kitchen workers, waiters, waitresses and food delivery riders.

Another 14 illegal workers were apprehended while engaged in renovation and cleaning work at various sites across the city.

A number were found to work illegally as renovation workers

During its operation targeting the catering industry, Immigration said its investigators employed different strategies including undercover work at restaurants and hanging out at popular gathering spots for food delivery riders in various districts.

The arrested illegal workers, aged between 21 and 67, comprised 45 non-ethnic Chinese individuals, including 14 men and nine women holding recognizance papers that prohibit them from taking up work; and 44 Mainlanders.

Among them, 18 persons held and were suspected of using forged Hong Kong identity cards while three possessed identity cards belonging to other people.

The 34 people arrested and charged with employing or aiding and abetting the illegal workers were all Hong Kong residents.

Those prosecuted faced relevant charges, including breach of conditions of stay or using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card, or taking employment while being an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land.

Immigration said it does not rule out the possibility of further arrests or prosecutions.

Anyone found doing illegal work faces a maximum fine of $50,000 and prison terms of two or three years. Those found to have used forged HK identity cards or those belonging to another person could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined a maximum of $100,000.

Employers of illegal workers could be fined up to $500,000 and jailed for 10 years.

 

Items seized from the raids conducted for nearly a month

Immigration said it is committed to combatting illegal employment by illegal immigrants, visitors, foreign domestic helper and imported workers bound by specific employment conditions in order to protect the local labour market.

Anyone who notices ongoing illegal activities may contact Immigration’s dedicated hotline, (2824 1551), email (anti_crime@immd.gov.hk) and online reporting platform (www.immd.gov.hk/eng/online-services/) to report illegal employment activities.

 

Pinay DH accused of drug trafficking walks free

 

Place where drug trafficking allegedly took place (Google Maps photo)

A Filipina facing two drug trafficking charges along with a fellow domestic helper, had a pleasant surprise today at the Kowloon City Court when prosecutors withdrew the charges against her.

“Does that mean I have no more case?”asked C. Padillo, 30 years old, through an interpreter.

“No more case,” Magistrate Philip Chan answered.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

She walked free later after signing release documents and retrieving two items that were presented as evidence against her.

It was not explained why the charges against her of violating section 4(1) (a) and (3) of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance were withdrawn.

Padillo’s co-accused, Alisa Tandual, 29 years old, remained in detention and was to be charged with a number of drug-related charges at a separate hearing.

Basahin ang detalye!

Police arrested the two over two separate occasions last January 22 at the first floor of 542 Canton Road, Yau Ma Tei. The first alleged offense took place in Room 1 and the second in Room 3.

They were both charged subsequently with drug trafficking.

Freebies galore on July 1

 

Tram rides will be free from July 1 to 3

To celebrate the 28^th year of the Handover of Hong Kong to China on July 1, the government has announced a series of freebies and other treats for all residents as well as visitors to the city. 

As in past years, all tram rides will be free, whatever the destination. But this year, the treat will last for three days, or from July 1 to 3.

Star Ferry rides will also be free, but only on July 1, and only for journeys between Tsim Sha Tsui and Wan Chai.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Those who plan to take the ferry from North Point to Hung Hom or Kowloon could try their luck in a draw where 100 free tickets will be distributed.

Another 100 tickets will be given to lucky day trippers between Central and Mui Wo, while 200 will be given away to those travelling from Central to Cheung Chau.

The MTR is also planning its own giveaway bonanza, with those using the Child Octopus card holders being given a free ride on the Airport Express while those with the JoyYou card, available to residents aged 60 and above, will get a 50% discount.

Basahin ang detalye!

Commuters will also have a chance to win one of the 71,000 free MTR tickets that will be raffled off on July 1 through the company’s mobile app. The tickets are valid until January 2 next year.

Those who are into cultural explorations can take advantage of the free entrance to most public museums, including the Science and Space Museums, except for the Space Theatre show.

There will also be complimentary entry to the M+ museum, as well as the thematic exhibitions at the Hong Kong Palace Museum.

Over at Ocean Park, visitors can avail of a 20% discount when purchasing two adult tickets and 30% if it’s for three or more tickets. The promotion will last until July 3.

LCSD-run facilities can also be used for free, but prior booking is required

Also offering free entry is the Wetland Pak in Yuen Long, as well as some facilities operated by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department such as courts for badminton, squash and basketball and table tennis, and swimming pools.

To ensure an orderly allocation of play times at these facilities, however, time slots were allocated via a ballot between June 14 and 20 on LCSD’s SmartPlay platform, with the results announced today.

Discounts will also be offered to passengers of the Ngong Ping 360 cable car. Round-trip tickets for the cable car standard cabin will be priced at $42 for both the elderly and children, instead of the usual $155 and $150, respectively.

There will also be shopping and dining discounts, with more than 1,000 restaurants and merchants participating.

 

 

Sikap’s ‘mother’ loses courageous battle against cancer

 

Amy Sajor kept her illness to herself for months, saying she did not want to bother anyone with it

An overseas Filipino worker who has for decades been regarded as the mother figure of Sikap (or Samahang Nagkakaisa ng mga Pilipino) passed away on June 9 from breast cancer. She was 62.

Amalia N. Sajor, widow of the late Rey Vital, founder of the 40-year-old Sikap and one of its champion tennis players, was given a final send-off by her friends and family members at Universal Funeral Home in Hung Hom yesterday.

She left behind a son, Rayniel Vital, for whom she and Rey fought hard to attain right of abode in Hong Kong, even while they remained content being OFWs themselves.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Amalia, who was Amy to most, battled stage 4 cancer for more than a year, but true to form, preferred to keep her struggles and pain to herself, like what Rey himself did when he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer until his death in the Philippines three years ago.

Even Rayniel said her mother hardly spoke about her ailment until she became too week to fight it off.

It was only after she was admitted to the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan last month that she confided to a few close friends in Sikap about her struggle against the terminal disease.

Amy's Sikap family bids her farewell a day before her remains are due to be flown home

Her friends and fellow tennis enthusiasts Almira, Melonie, Sol, Marivic, Rose and Ruth took turns visiting her there, along with Rayniel, until she took her last breath.

Her friends spoke of how devastated they were in seeing how much weight Amy had lost, and how the cancer had left her with so much pain which she valiantly decided to bear all by herself.

Basahin ang detalye!

Lester Esquilona, current president of Sikap and a longtime friend of Rey and Amy, also said he learned about her condition only recently, although everyone had noticed her looking unusually sad for months, including when she attended the group’s anniversary party in November last year.

But when asked, Amy would inadvertently say she was just longing for Rey.

Rey and Amy with son Rayniel during happier days

Amy’s kindly employer, Serena, also said she was kept in the dark by Amy for months.

Just before he died, Rey reportedly told Amy to just stay put in Pampanga and enjoy the house they had built there. But Amy insisted on going back to Hong Kong and look after Serena’s elderly father, who had hired her and Rey for decades.

The family patriarch passed on shortly before Amy learned she had stage four cancer.

Serena is paying for the cost of repatriation, and all related expenses. She said it is her way of repaying the kindness shown by Amy toward her father, and for the decades of service that the Vital couple had rendered to her family.

Amy’s remains are due to be flown home tomorrow, June 24, to Santa Ana, Pampanga, where Rayniel said she will be laid to rest beside his father, as was her wish.

.

 

 

 

 

Ex-OFW forced to go home because of brain tumor gets P75k Aksyon fund

 

Febe at the OWWA office last year, when an agency owner cursed her on the phone

A Filipina former domestic helper who was forced to go home in April last year after being terminated when diagnosed with brain tumor, was pleasantly surprised on Wednesday, June 18, when she was given Php75k from the Akap Fund of the Department of Migrant Workers.

Febe S. Anor, 53, said the money was transferred to her bank account that day, less than a month after The SUN personally brought her case to DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac, along with her medical records from Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan.

Anor expressed gratitude at the unexpected windfall, and said it would help a lot in her recovery, and in the small online business she started using the Php20,000 reintegration fund given her by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

PINDUTIN DITO

She also received an extra Php30,000 in medical assistance from OWWA, which she said she had used for medical check-ups and medicines after she returned home.

Although she is able to carry out her business selling frozen foods online, she said she is still too weak to carry heavy stuff, so she asks customers to pick up their orders from her home.

“Salamat ng marami sa tulong ninyo. Ingat po kayong lagi (Thanks for all your help. Always take care) and God bless you always,” said Febe by way of thanking all those who have helped her.

Febe was helped by her INK friends in boarding the plane that took her home  

What prompted many people to help Febe, including her church mates at Iglesia ni Kristo in Hong Kong, was her calm and kindly manner which never wavered even in the face of seemingly insurmountable hardship.

Even after she was sacked, forcing her to seek temporary shelter in a four-floor walkup with help from her church friends while hardly able to walk, she never whimpered nor said unkind words about her employer.

This, even after her employer had all but abandoned her so she had to pay all her hospital bills herself and for her food and accommodation.

Basahin ang detalye!

At that time, the employer said Febe could not go back to their house anymore as no one would be there to look after her while she was recuperating. The employer said their employment agency would take care of providing her temporary accommodation while she waited for the day set for her brain surgery.

But as if she was being tested, the agency owner turned out to be mean, and had tried to get her to fly back to the Philippines at the first opportunity, even while she was still waiting for her next hospital appointment so she could have the staples on her skull taken out.

When she refused to comply, the agency owner only gave her soup as she recovered from her surgery, leaving her with no choice to ask her friends for help again.

Worse, she was not paid her full unpaid salary, and reimbursements for her medical expenses

But the worst was yet to come. When she sought help from OWWA so she could be paid in full, the agency owner immediately called her on the phone, and started to harass her. As she had set the phone on speaker mode, everyone who was in the OWWA office at the time, including then welfare officer Dina Daquigan, heard the employer shout f---g b—ch to Febe, before hanging up.

Febe still had these staples on her skull when the agency first tried to send her home

Still unshaken, Febe sought help from Assistant Labor Attache Angelica Sunga who took prompt action, warning the agency owner that if the helper’s rightful claims were not paid, all their pending transactions with the Migrant Workers Office would be put on hold.

Not surprisingly, the agency had a change of heart and decided to add $1,600 to the amount originally offered to her. Febe did not think twice about accepting the offer, happy that her long ordeal was finally about to end.

 In all, she received only $9,600 from the agency, which was supposed to cover her unpaid salary, one month in lieu of notice, and reimbursement for her hospital, food and accommodation expenses, but she decided to just take it and go home to ease her mind and spirit.